Helpline

Our helpline number is 01223 245888 and it is open:

Wednesday 7pm-9.30pm

Thursday 7pm-9:30pm

Sunday 10am-12:30pm

An answering machine is available at all other times. If you leave a message on the answerphone to say that you would like to speak to someone, we will try to call you back the next time the helpline is open. If you’re having difficulty getting through to us, you might like to try on a Thursday evening, which is currently our quietest shift.

We offer a confidential service of listening support provided over the telephone. Our volunteers will listen to what you want to say. They will help you to find ways to express difficult feelings and talk about difficult situations.

Our helpline service is not a counselling service. We never tell you what to do, nor do we offer advice, or try to influence decisions. We do not claim to have any answers. Instead, we can raise questions and listen while you explore your options, and how you are feeling about managing your life. We can also provide information regarding other support services, and common ways of reacting to and dealing with the effects of sexual violence.

FAQs

You can talk to us about anything in complete confidence. We will never repeat anything you say outside of Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre. We do discuss our helpline calls with other volunteers within the service. This is to encourage each other to deliver a good and consistent support service. It also means that if you call more than once you are less likely to have to repeat anything you have said previously, when you speak to different volunteers. We ensure this information never reaches anyone else.

We do not report anything that is said to us to the police or any other outside body. Our confidentiality policy is available for download if you want further information.

If you are under 18, we will not pass along anything you say unless you tell us your full name and address and ask us to report to the police on your behalf. We respect your right to make decisions about your own life.

You don’t have to give us your name or any identifying details about yourself, although if you find you’re ringing regularly you might want to give us a name or pseudonym (made-up name) to help us recognise you. The 1471 function is disabled on our phone line, so you can remain fully anonymous.

In order to make sure that we can reach as many women and girls as possible, we set time limits on your calls to us.

When you speak to us for the first time, the call can last up to 45 minutes. Even if you call near the end of the session, we will still talk to you for up to half an hour. After that you can phone us up to two times a week for a call lasting up to 30 minutes each time. Some callers speak to us only once, some phone regularly, others use our service sporadically over a period of years. Some calls last only a few minutes. This depends entirely on what you find most helpful.

We are happy to take an initial call from any male survivor, but are not able to offer on-going support.

While we recognise the experiences and pain of men who have suffered any kind of sexual violence, here at Cambridge Rape Crisis Centre we have found that a women-only service provision is an invaluable environment for many female callers. We recognise the need for specialist services for men and are more than happy to signpost male callers to those services who can support them.

Our helpline is available for (self-defining) women and girls, including those with complex gender identities which include ‘woman’, and those who experience oppression as women. Self-definition is at the sole discretion of the individual in question.

Calls are charged at a local rate, and if you would like us to call you back please ask and we will happily do so. We will withhold our number when we call you back so that no-one else will be able to see who has called you (however if you have an itemised phone bill our number will appear on it).

Our feedback form is available to download in our contact us section. Our complaints procedure is in our policies section.

Any feedback we get is treated anonymously, whether it is good or bad, and helps us to improve our service. We do sometimes use anonymous comments in reports to our funders so if you don’t want your comments to be used, please tell us.

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Testimonials

The encouragement and support and having a safe space to openly talk and not be judged for it

I am sad to be leaving today's session as I have truly made a massive step thanks to [my counsellor].

[My counselling was] non-judgemental, [a] safe space to talk and cry.

I was really impressed with the support and kindness I experienced from the ISVA service. It gave me confidence to start dealing with the situation. It's a great service.

[I valued] learning to be honest with myself, to become strong and learning to deal with issues rather than bury them away.

[My counsellor] is fantastic! She is calm, empathetic, real in her responses. Her honesty and demeanour made it easier to get past my trust issues and get down to "work". The fact that the sessions are free made me feel like the time was a precious gift and therefore I had to use the time responsibly.

[I appreciate] The feeling of not being alone & isolated & I hope that this group can be repeated to help and support more women in our situation in understanding and knowing they are NOT ALONE!

My daughters' had someone they could engage with (their ChISVA) and I was able to come to terms with what has happened to me and actual be able to see a future was possible.

Counselling has helped me understand and come to terms with my situation.

[My ISVA helped me with] understanding that how I felt was rational and my experiences were real.

[Counselling gave me a] more positive outlook on life in general and me feeling that you able to control how you deal with any situation that's thrown at you, even if you have no control over the situation itself. I also have a higher sense of self-belief.

I feel more confident in talking about my problems instead of hiding them.

[The counselling was] a space to talk about my worries and insecurities surrounding abuse without it being difficult.

The lady I spoke with [when I self-referred to the ISVA service] was warm, welcoming, helpful and replied to my on-line message the same day if not the next day. My ISVA contacted me just 5 days after my initial call.

[I have learned] that I can write about things other than depressing subjects, and there are people out there who will support and encourage you no matter how ‘damaged’ everyone else labels you, and you are not alone in what you’ve been through.

There have been no intrusive questions. I don't have to mention details, which make me feel uncomfortable. Everyone is understanding and really friendly. I value that the support is free and in such a nice environment. Everyone believes you.

Thank you so much for all the help & support you've given me.

Amazing support.

It has made me feel more confident in terms of speaking out about what happened to me. The counselling has helped me deal with everyday emotions and situations which I could not talk to anyone else about. I feel more comfortable now to open up and speak to a counsellor honestly now I've built their trust.

[The ISVA Navigator] was lovely and made me feel comfortable about speaking about what had happened and she was able to tell me what will happen next.

[The counsellor] was never judgemental and always kind.

Thank you for being there to talk to when I felt like I had no-one else. Thank you for getting me to talk about it all and then listening when I wouldn’t shut up!

[Because of the counselling] I understand myself and my emotions better.

I valued the gentle, non-pressuring environment. I felt safe and like I finally had someone who doesn't judge, laugh or tell anyone else. It has really boosted my trust and strength.

[My ISVA] wasn’t pushy. She asked regularly if I needed anything and if everything was going okay but she left me to it and if I needed support I knew she was there.

I had no idea what to expect and I was very nervous but soon realised that it was okay and I did not need to worry.

CRCC have taught me how to trust when I didn't know how. Have shown me self belief when all I could see was self hatred. Have helped me feel anger when all I could feel was emptyness. Have given me hope in a sea of despair. Have helped me grow from a lost, confused, helpless, victim with the feeling that suicide may be my only available escape, into the beginnings strong, self aware, survivor looking forward to a much brighter future. That has changed my world.

I only received counselling, but that was what I wanted and needed.

I'm not really sure if I can find the words to say how grateful I am for being given the recent counselling.
It has changed my life immeasurably, and got me through some really difficult things and thoughts. I have no idea how I would have got through it without the support I have received. From challenging me on negative thoughts, helping me find hope and understanding to encouraging me to take time out from work when I really needed it, I can't imagine how anyone could have done a better job.